Wave-motor.



B. G. SHIPMAN.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 27, 1910. RENEWED MAR. 25, 1913.

1,076,844. Patented 0013.28, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I NVENTOQ B :CJHJPMHN Wm aw coLuMmA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON. u c.

B. O. SHIPMAN.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.27, 1910. RENEWED MAR. 25, 1913.

1,076,844, Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

WITNESSES INVEN'IOIQ g B'G'JHIPM/ IN' By ATTY- uoLuMulA PLANOGIZAPH 60.,\VAkiHlNUTON, n, c.

B. G. SHIPMAN.

WAVE MOTOR. APPLIOATION FILED D30. 27, 1910. RENEWED MAR. 25, 1913.

1,076,844. Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W1 TNES-SES I NVENTOR D. C JHIPMN 6%, BY f/jwggwfim.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH cm, WASHINGTON, u, c.

UNITED T OFFICE.

BENNET CARROLL SHIPIVIAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0PACIFIC WAVE POWER CGMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATIONOF CALIFORNIA.

WAVE-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

Application filed December 27, 1910, Serial No. 599,404. Renewed March25, 1913. Serial No. 756,798.

To all LU/0722, it may concern.

Be it known that I, BnNNnr CARROLL SHIP- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco andState of California, have invented a new and useful lVave-Motor, ofwhich the following is a specification in such full and clear terms aswill, enable those skilled in the art to construct and use the same.

The object of this invention is to make use of all of the motion ofwater in waves for the generation of power therefrom.

lf-leretofore it has been proposed to uti line the up and down motion ofthe waves, or the to and fro motion, either in the wave or in the surf,in such a manner as to secure but a portion of the energy available inthe waves. It will be understood by those familiar with the dynamics ofwaves that the water in wave motion is subject to two distinctlydifferent movements; that is to say, in the complete cycle of each wavethere is an up and down movement of the water, and in addition theretothere is a to and fro move ment of the water in quadrature relation tothe other movement, the two combining to produce a true rotary movement.In deep water waves, where the depth of water is equal to or greaterthan the wave length this rotary motion. is practically circular, butbecomes more and more elliptical, with the long axis vertical, as thewave reaches shallower water, due to the greater retarding effect of thesea bottom on the motion of the water in the trough of the wave. Finallythe forward motion on the crest overruns the backward motion in thetrough and the wave breaks in the familiar effect of surf. It isevident, therefore, that the maximum energy of waves exists in deepwater, and that this energy is gradually lost as the ave approachesshore, until it is all dissipated by the surf in the form of heat.

My invention is therefore intended to be operated in relatively deepwater, abstracting from the waves practically the total energycontained.

In Figure 1 the movement of the water in the crest and the trough of adeep water wave is illustrated by means of curved arrows. The smallarrows of varying length above the water surface may represent therelative velocity and direction of a particle of water at any givenlocation of said particle on the surface of the wave, and thediminishing curved arrows below the water surface may represent therelative diminution of such velocities as depth is reached, untilfinally a point is arrived at where there is no motion to the water.That is to say, in the upper half, herein called the crest, of a wavethe particles of water are travelin in the direction of the wavepropagation at velocities varying from nothing; at the start of thecrest to maximum at the middle of the crest and again to nothing; at theend of the crest. These varying velocities aregreatcst at the surfaceand decrease downwardly to a point dependent upon the magnitude of thewave. The maximum velocity in each stratum of the water, wherever that.stratum may be located, occurs at the middle of the crest. In an exactlysimilar manner the movement of the water in the lower half, hereincalled the trough, of the wave is opposite to the wave propagation, isgreatest at the surface of the water, and varies also from nothing atthe start of the trough to a maximum at the middle and again to nothingat the end. These varying velocities sil'uilarly also are greatest atthe surface of the water, and. decrease downwardly to a point dependenton the magnitude of the wave, below which the water is quiescent. Itwill therefore be apparent, if we consider a body floating in the waves,that it is first moving a certain. amount in one direction and then anequal amount in the opposite direction, while at the same time it ismoving vertically first up and then down an amount canal to the heightof the wave between trough and crest at their maximum, so that such abody describes a true rotary path and returns to its initial positionwith the passage of each wave, if not acted on by any other force thanthat of the wave. Hence, to obtain the complete energy of the wave, itis necessary to provide an apparatus adapted to utilize both the to andfro and the up and down m ovcmcnts of the water to the best advantage.

From the above exposition it is evident thatthe movement of the water ina Wave virtually takes place about some point under the surface, like acenter, and any apparatus to utilize this movement most effectively mustmove similarly. But such a virtual center is not fixed in space, beinglower down for the trough of the wave than for the crest. its locus,however, atany given spot is a vertical line, so that a vane arranged tomove about suitable center, which center is adapted to move verticallycan be made to abstract the total energ'j-J of the to and fro movementof tie water, while a properly arranged float suitably attached to saidvane can be made to abstract the total energy of the up and downmovement of the water. It is also to be noted. that unless the center ofmovement of the float frame and vane is below the surface of the waterthat undesirable strains will be set up in the apparatus in addition tothe loss of power.

In the drawings of the apparatus, in which the same numeral of referenceis applied to the same portion throughout the several 'iews, Fig. l is aside elevation of a conventional wave illustrating the motion of thewater by means of curved arrows. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of one formof the wave motor; 3 is a plan view of the motor shown in Fig, 2; Fig. lis a side elevation of the motor shown in Fig. 9.; Fig. 5 is aplan viewof a modified form of the invention in which the sliding frame issupported from links extending above the float frame; Fig. is an endelevation of the motor shown. in plan in Fig. G a side elevation of amotor similar to that shown in Fig. 2, save that means are provided totake off power in two separate components; and Fig. 7 is an end view ofthe motor shown in Fig. 6.

The numeral 1 represents a. series of piles of suitable material andconstruction for the aurpose intended. In the present instance four suchpiles are shown, as sufhcient to setforth the invention, and they areconnected in pairs by the cross girders 2. A track is provided, in thiscase Z bar 3, on each pile, which forms the means whereby a cross headframe l, is guided in its vertical movements up and down.

The cross head frame t, is provided with eight wheels 5, in order toreduce friction, and is suitably braced by means o braces 6, and crossbars 7. Connecting the side bars at. the bottom of the frame l, there isa bar 7, which supports two bearing boxes 8. These bearing boxes 8 havea heavy member 9, journaled therein, and said member is connected at itsupper end to a float frame 10. In the said float frame, there issupported a float 10, of suitable dimensions and pivoted to the floatframe at opposite ends. The object of pivot-- ing the float to the frame10 is to permit it to oscillate about an axis parallel to the wavefront, while at the same time it moves the float frame up or down as thewave rises or falls. The float frame has a depending vane 11, on eachside of the member 9, said vane cranks l t are each formed on the end'of a shaft 15, each of the latter shafts being journaled in boxes 16,secured to the under side of the girder 2.

The operation of this form of the invention is as follows: The wavecrest is that portion of the wave which rises above the mean level,while the trough is that portion below the mean level. hen a wave passesthe float 10, its crest causes the float and float frame to move in thedirection of the wave propagation with a gradually increasing horizontalvelocity. At the same time the float frame first ascends with agradually decreasing vertical velocity until the top of the crest isreached, when the horizontal motion is a maximum and the vertical motionis nothing, and then moves in the same hori zontal direction with agradually decreasing velocity and descends with an increasing verticalvelocity until the crest of the wave has passed. At the junction of thecrest and trough, the horizontal motion is nothing and the verticaldownward motion is a maximum. The succeeding trough of the wave causesthe float and float frame to move in the opposite direction horizontallywith gradually increasing velocity and to continue the descent withgradually decreasing vertical velocity, until the bottom of the troughis reached, when the horizontal motion is again a maximum, in a reversedirection and the vertical motion is nothing. The movement thencontinues in the same horizontal direction with a gradually decreasingvelocity and the float frame ascends with a. gradually increasingvertical velocity until the trough of the wave has passed, when thehorizonta motion is nothing and the vertical upward motion is a maximum,and the float and the floatframe have returned to their initialposition, and the oncon'iing crest of another wave is ready to repeatthe cycle of operations. The combination of the two movements describedin this inversely coordinated relation, in circular waves is expressedby the formula.

5111. 62+ cos. a=R

results in the float and float frame describing a rotary path, and itthus drives each of the shafts 15, and any suitable mechanism connectedtherewith, in a continuous rotary manner.

It is to be noted that the cross head frame changes its position inaccordance with the requirements of the wave, so that the pivot pin ofthe bar 9, is automatically moved and is always at the proper locationcorresponding to the virtual center about which the water may beconsidered to be partially and alternately revolving. However, the aboveform of the invention necessarily locates the mechanical center of movement of the float frame below the surface of the water. A disadvantageof this form of construction is that an important journal bearing ismade submerged, which is a bad mechanical arrangement for inspection andlubrication.

Figs. 5 and f illustrate a modified form of the invention, havingsuitable means for giving to the float and float frame substantially thesame motion as that provided for in the first figures without the use ofthe undesirable submerged journal bearing. In these figures, the numeral20 represents piling which guides the cross head frame. Stringers 21,connect two of the piles at each end of the float frame and form. thesupport for the shafts 22. Secured to the side of each pile 20, is atrack 23, which forms the guides for the cross head frame 24, to whichframe is attached the float as in the previous form of the invention.The cross head frame 24L, has uprights 25 at the sides, the saiduprights being connected by the cross bars 26 at the top, and lateralcross bars 27 connect the two side frames. The

cross bars 26 support journal boxes 28, while the float frame 29 isprovided with similar journal boxes 30. Extending upwardly from thejournal boxes 30 are links 31, two at each side of the center. Dependingbe low the float frame, but rigidly attached to it, is a vane 32, and inthe float frame suspended by pivots is a float 29 of suitable dimensionsadapted to oscillate about an axis parallel to the wave front. In orderthat the frame 24, may move up and down with as little friction aspossible, it is pro vided, as in the previous form, with eight rollers33, which travel in the guides 23. The shafts 22, are each provided witha crank 34: journaled in boxes 35 on the float frame. 7

The result of supporting the float frame by four links, as shown, isthat the to and fro movement of the float frame will cause it to assumethe same angular position that it would assume if it were connected to acenter below the surface of the water, in the previously describedarrangement, and were moved an equal amount to and fro. It furthermorehas this advantage over the previous arrangement of allowing such avirtual center to be placed any distance down, which would beconstructionally impossible otherwise. If the distance between thejournal boxes of the upper end of the links 31., is the same as thatbetween the boxes at the lower end of the links 31, a parallel motion ofthe float frame results,

or in other words, the virtual. center is at an infinite distance down.According as the ratio of the distance between the journal boxes at thelower ends of the links to that between the ournal boxes at the upperends of the links is made less the virtual center approaches the surfaceof the water. It is evident therefore that the vane 32, attached to thefloat frame at right angles therewith, always maintains a radialposition from the virtual center l'ielow, about which the waterpartially revolves first in one direction and then in the opposite.

Theresult of compounding the to and fro motion imparted by the vane andthe up and down motion imparted by the float will be to transformdirectly the rotary motion of the water in the waves into rotary motionof the shaft 22, in precisely the same manner as in the Case of the formof the invention previously described.

lfach of the previous forms of the invention are intended to completelytransform the two force components present in quad rature in the movingwater into rotary motion of a single shaft with a torque practicallyuniform with that of the wave and with theinterposition of as littlemechanism as possible. It is however possible to utilize these two forcecomponents sepa rately, if desired, and Figs. 6 and 7 show amodification of the invention which is adapted. to deliver these twocomponents separately. In this form of the invention the supportingframe is substantially the same as that used in the previous forms ofthe invention. The cross head frame ll) is provided as before with eightanti-friction wheels ll, and it operates between guide piling The floatframe it-3 has depending arms a l, pivoted at the bottom to the crosshead frame 40, and between the two arms the vane 45 is attached at rightangles to the float frame l3. The arms at are pivoted in boxes *lflaoove the bottom of the frame. On the side of the float :t'rame, thereis so cured a segment rack at, in mesh with a pinion 4.8 having a shaftt9 journaled in bearings 50 at the top of the frame 40. At the side ofone of the piles there is supported a frame 51, which carries a. shafthaving a pinion 52 in mesh with a straight rack 53, said rack beingsuitably supported from the cross head 40. In this caseas before, thefloat frame at?) inc-loses and is pivotally attached to a float 43adapted to es cillate about an axis parallel to the line of the wavefront. It will thus be observed that the up and down motion of the floatwill carry the cross head fran'xe 4:0 along with it, and, as the framerises and falls, the pinion 52 will be rotated, and from the shaftsupporting the same, power may be delivered desired. The to and fromovement of the water in the wave will cause a back and forth movementof the float frame about its center of movement, and this will cause thepinion 48 to rotate, and its shaft may also be used to deliver power,either independently or in conjunction with the other shaft. In thisform of the invention the two components of the energy of the waves areseparately transformed, and necessarily in an oscillatory manner, andwith two dead points, or no motion, in each cycle of operation. Forcertain applications, however, this would not necessarily be anobjection.

The invention as herein set forth necessitates a constant mean level ofwater, and a uniform wave height, and therefore would not becontinuously operative in water subject to tides or variable waves. As Iam making a separate application for Letters Patent on a suitableregulating mechanism for adjusting this invention automatically to therequired level for tides, and a separate application for Letters Iatenton a mechanism for adjusting this invention automatically for any waveheight I make no claim herein for such regulating devices.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows z 1. In awave motor, a support, a shaft carried thereby, lcat, a vane dependingbelow said float, means whereby the center of motion of said float iscaused to be below the surface of the water, and means connected withsaid float to operate said shaft, substantially described.

'2. In a wave motor, a support, a shaft carried thereby, a float, meansto cause the center of motion of said float to be below the surface ofthe waves, a vane extending from the float toward said center of motion,and means whereby said float will cause said shaft to rotate,substantially described.

3. a wave motor, a support, a shaft carried thereby, a float, meanswhereby the center of motion of said float caused to lie below thesurface of the wave, a vane extending downwardly from the float, meansto permit the float to assume a position substantially tangent to thewave elements touching the same, and means connected with said float torotate said shaft, substantially as described.

In a wave motor, a support, a shaft carried thereby, a frame slidablevertically in said support, a float, means connected with said slidableframe to cause the center of motion of said float to lie below the surface of the water, and means whereby the motion of said float will causethe rotation of said shaft, substantially as described.

I 5. In a wave motor, a sup-port, a shaft carried thereby, a framevertically slidable in said support, a float, a frame to which saidfloat is pivoted, a downwardly extending vane below said lioat,means tocause the center of motion of said float and vane to lie below thesurface of the water, and means whereby the motion of said float willcause the rotation of said shaft, substantially as described.

6. In a wave motor, a support, a shaft carried thereby, a framevertically slidable in said support, a secondary frame attached to saidfirst frame so that its center of motion will lie below the surface ofthe water, a lioat pivoted to said secondary frame, a vane secured tothe secondary frame and eX- tending toward its center of motion, andmeans whereby the movement of the. float will cause the rotation of theshaft, substantially as described. 7. In a wave motor, a support, ashaft car ried thereby, a frame vertically slidable in said support, asecondary frame attached to said first frame so that its center ofmot-ion will lie. below the surface of the water, a float pivoted tosaid secondary frame, a vane secured to the secondary frame andextending toward its center of motion, and means secured to thesecondary frame for the rotation of the shaft upon the movement of thefloat, substantially as described.

8. In a wave motor, a support, a crank shaft carried thereby, a float, avane depending below said float, means whereby the center of motion ofsaid float is caused to lie below the surface of the water and meansconnected with said float to operate said crank shaft, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a wave motor, a support, a crank shaft carried thereby, a float,means to cause the center of motion of said float to lie below thesurface of the water, a vane extending below the float toward the centerof motion of said float, and a journal box connected with the float andadapted to rotate said crank shaft upon the movement of the float,substantially as described.

10. In a wave motor, a support, a crank shaft carried thereby, a float,means whereby the center of motion of said float is caused to lie belowthe surface of the water, a vane extei'iding downwardly from the floattoward tl c center motion thereof, means to permit the float to assume aposition substantially tangent to the wave elements touching the same,and means connected with said float to rotate said crank shaft,substantially as described.

11. In a wave motor, a support, a crank shaft carried thereby, a framevertically slid-able in said support, a float, means con nected withsaid slidable frame to cause the center of motion of said float toliebelow the surface of the water, and means whereby the motion of saidfloat will rotate said crank shaft, substantially as described.

il2 In a wave motor, a support, a crank shaft carried thereby, a frameslidable ver tically in said support, a secondary frame having thecenter of motion thereof below the surface of the water, a. floatpivoted to said secondary frame, and means whereby the motion of thefloat will cause the rotation. of the crank shaft, substantially asdescribed.

13. In a Wave motor, a support, a crank shaft carried thereby, a framevertically slidable in said support, a secondary frame attached to saidslidable support so that its center of motion will lie below the surfaceof the water, a float pivoted to said secondary frame, a vane dependingfrom the secondary frame, and means connecting the crank shaft andsecondary frame to cause the rotation of the shaft upon the movement ofthe float, substantially as described.

14. In a. wave motor, a support, a crank shaft carried thereby, a framevertically slidable in said support, a secondary frame, oppositelyinclined depending links connecting the two frames, a float pivoted tothe secondary frame, a vane depending from the secondary frame, andmeans connecting the crank shaft and secondary frame whereby the shaftis rotated upon the movement of the float, substantially as described.

15. In a wave motor, a support, a crank shaft carried thereby, avertically slidable frame in said support, a secondary frame, oppositelyinclined links connecting the two frames, a vane depending from thesecondary frame, a float pivoted to the secondary frame, a journal boxon the secondary frame to which the crank pin of the crank shaft isconnected whereby the crank shaft will be rotated upon the movement ofthe float, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9 day of DecemberA. D. 1910, in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

BENNET CARROLL SHIPMAN.

Witnesses C. P. GRIFFIN, E. H. BLAKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

